In our 898th episode, we examine a puzzling question: why has political persuasion become seemingly impossible in America today? We explore how the landscape has fundamentally shifted beyond mere policy disagreements into something that looks surprisingly like religious conflict.

We connect historical patterns of how religious movements evolve and rewrite their narratives to what we're witnessing in contemporary politics. Drawing parallels between ancient religious transformations and today's political climate reveals why facts and evidence no longer seem to matter in public discourse.

Plus, we share two surprisingly uplifting stories from Salt Lake City and our hometown of Springfield, Illinois, where communities are finding creative ways to stand their ground against political extremism.

Join us for a thoughtful conversation about the religious dimensions of today's politics and what this means for the future of compromise in our democracy.

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• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

This is episode 898, recorded May 8th, 2025. As always, it's not safe for work!

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In this episode of The Professional Left Podcast, we return from our break to tackle the media's misuse of political vocabulary and how a certain pundit twists language to avoid placing blame where it belongs. We break down a prominent columnist's appearance on PBS that perfectly illustrates this problem, while examining how his myth of the "Sensible Center" continues to poison our discourse. Our news roundup covers troubling developments from the Trump administration alongside a few rays of hope from recent local elections and court decisions. Join us for vocabulary lessons, media criticism, and proof that in America's partisan divide, one side is clearly the problem.

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• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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We discuss Chicago politics as 26-year-old progressive influencer Kat Abughazaleh challenges veteran Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who may be announcing her retirement after 14 terms in Congress. Then we take a look at Trump's latest projection scheme as his DOJ targets ActBlue while conveniently ignoring WinRed's shady operations. Both sides don't! Only one for-profit fundraising platform skims millions off donations; we connect the dots on how money flows through our political system—and who's really pulling the strings. This episode might be shorter than usual as we prepare for a brief break, but we're packing in the analysis you won't hear anywhere else!

Driftglass will be on the Bob Cesca Show AND the Bradcast on Wednesday 4/30, and we'll be back on the air next week!

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• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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Today’s episode is going to be a little more unstructured than usual because we have a very special guest. He is a renowned political journalist and staff writer for Esquire, where he writes the popular blog "Politics with Charles P. Pierce." He's known for his sharp political commentary, incisive humor, and encyclopedic knowledge of American politics and history. He previously wrote for outlets including The Boston Globe, Grantland, and Sports Illustrated. He is also the author of "Idiot America," an indispensable book on American politics and culture.

You know him, you love him, and if you don't, we can’t be friends. Welcome to the Professional Left Podcast, Mr. Charlie Pierce!

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• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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In Episode 894, "The Shipping News," we explore Pope Francis's passing, compare Easter messages from presidents past and present, and examine how "Mr. Fix The Economy On Day One" is actually doing with tariffs and trade wars. We reveal alarming economic indicators, presidential gaslighting about grocery prices, and share some outrageous local political news. Join us as we connect the dots between Trump's promises and the reality hitting American farmers, workers, and consumers.

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• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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This week, we're examining the disturbing parallels between past and present as we approach the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. We'll explore how the extremist rhetoric that drove Timothy McVeigh has found new life in today's political landscape.

We dive into the Republican propaganda machine's decades-long strategy of relentlessly blaming liberals for everything—from Newt Gingrich's exploitation of tragedies to the current rewriting of January 6th as patriotic heroism. We'll show how the right's villainization of Democrats created the conditions for both McVeigh's terrorism and today's embrace of similar extremism.

Plus, we'll cover the troubling developments of Trump's second term: government agencies dismantled, whistleblowers threatened, court orders ignored, and economic policies that threaten ordinary Americans. Join us as we connect the dots between the monsters of our past and the reflections we're seeing today.

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• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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In this week's episode, we examine the disturbing realities of Trump's America in 2025, where Supreme Court rulings are ignored, critics face politically motivated investigations, and erratic tariff policies create economic chaos. We connect these developments to warnings we shared a year ago about the rise of fascism, reminding listeners that what's happening now was entirely predictable. (Kamala Harris said she wasn't gonna say "I told you so" as she DID.). As we document the administration's escalating attacks on democratic norms, we also highlight the growing resistance nationwide. Join us for a sobering assessment of our current crisis and a discussion about what victory must look like in the fight against American fascism. We told you so - and now we're asking what comes next.

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• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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In this week's episode, we dive into why Republicans keep winning the messaging war despite their policies hurting average Americans. We explore how stories consistently triumph over facts in political discourse and why Democrats' reliance on statistics isn't working. From "The Inspector General" to parables in the Bible, we examine how powerful narratives shape public perception more effectively than cold, hard facts. We also break down the absurdity of Trump's tariffs, the mainstream media's underwhelming coverage of protests, and why Medicaid is secretly a middle-class benefit that affects more Americans than you might think. Join us for an episode that might just change how you think about political communication in these chaotic times.

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